Alpha boilers any good?

[Danny25]

The local Alpha rep is trying to get me to switch to using there boilers, but i havent ever fitted one. I fit Baxi mainly with the odd worcester or Valliant. The rep is offering a 7 year warranty which is very appealing, but like i said havent fitted one so just asking for your opinions on them? Cheers

 

[Mbear]

Future maintenance wise the new ones are a disaster, poorly made imo. The old ones (band D's) are decent enough, very similar to alot of baxis as in the hydraulic sections are the same etc.

They are prob easy enough to fit but I reckon the end user would curse u for recommending a new alpha to them. .
I've not been impressed with the newer ones at all .

 

[anz]

I agree, not very reliable, leaks are common.

 

[Halesowen1]

Only ever fitted one, never recommend another to a customer, rubbish.

 

[Danny25]

It would take alot to switch from Baxi as we get great service and support and the odd freebie spare here and there. From what im hearing already Alpha doesnt sound very promising.

 

[NewApprentice]

Rubbish wouldn't my trades men wouldn't even look at them twice though people have different views

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

alphas are tat,spares are dear,stick with baxi

 

[NewApprentice]

I say Vokera not the compact but rest of range seems good

 

[arran197]

Only ever worked on one, but it seemed pretty rubbish. Was an old thing, but judging by the tech they'd used it was behind the rest of the industry.

 

[SimonJohns]

danny what part of the country are you from?

 

[Mbear]

I say Vokera not the compact but rest of range seems good

Disagree with that to be honest

 

[Alpha man]

They are OK, as others have said though, the spare parts will be expensive and no doubt it will leak!!

1st Intec we fitted did!!

 

[jtsplumbing]

It seems that everyone has got their favourite boiler , at the end of the day they are all much the same , all got bad points and good, most now have 5 year + warranty, do-not think customer cares what is fitted in as long as price is right, just fit what customer wants its their money ! if fitted right then for next 5 Years its manufactors problem if if stops working, so why worry about it, fit and forget.

 

[Danny25]

danny what part of the country are you from?

Hi Simon i am from Exmouth in Devon, but also work in Gloucestershire as alot of my family are there.

 

[Ruski]

Sorry to drag up a week old thread - but I'm going to play devils advocate here :devilish:

'My' heating engineer has swapped to Alpha's for over a year now - and is offering an 8 year warranty/guarantee. Seems the customers like this selling point as he's never short of installs!

So my question is really, why do I read nothing but derogatory opinions on them (Alphas!) when the manufacturers are giving such a long 'peace of mind'....??
He has even fitted one, complete with the solar kit, to his own house - so it can't be all that rubbish can it?? I've seen 'under the hood' whilst he's been installing them and I can't say I can see much 'plastic tat' inside the case - all seems pretty pukka.. so why do they get panned?!?!?

Anything specific that causes such opinions??

All insights gratefully recieved - as I'm toying with having one myself!

Russ

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Sorry to drag up a week old thread - but I'm going to play devils advocate here :devilish:

'My' heating engineer has swapped to Alpha's for over a year now - and is offering an 8 year warranty/guarantee. Seems the customers like this selling point as he's never short of installs!

So my question is really, why do I read nothing but derogatory opinions on them (Alphas!) when the manufacturers are giving such a long 'peace of mind'....??
He has even fitted one, complete with the solar kit, to his own house - so it can't be all that rubbish can it?? I've seen 'under the hood' whilst he's been installing them and I can't say I can see much 'plastic tat' inside the case - all seems pretty pukka.. so why do they get panned?!?!?

Anything specific that causes such opinions??

All insights gratefully recieved - as I'm toying with having one myself!

Russ

are you a alpha rep russ?if you have seen under the hood go for it

 

[mikeh83]

stay well away... absolutely rubbish!

 

[Ruski]

Mikeh - this is what I'm querying - WHY does everyone say they're rubbish???

 

[grahamgas]

tat tat tat and tat

never fitted one, nor will I.

Older alphas like the ocean etc were not too bad, from a servicing point of view. CB50 storage wasnt bad either, performance wise.

But the newer ones just look awful, once you get inside.

Unfortuantely, it is one of those names that as soon as I hear ' oh its an Alpha', my shoulders slump and my demeanour changes

 

[mikeh83]

jus very poor quality.. plus, they're nightmare to work on when they're broke.

 

[RoryD]

in a word..."no"

 

[Roger Welton]

... and the parts are expensive also. Have the delight of looking at a leaky one tomorrow :sad_smile:

 

[mikeh83]

i wont even take the cover off one... nightmare! ha

 

[Alpha man]

LOL, to most of the replys, you can send them my way if they are in Kent!!:ciappa:

 

[Jooles76]

LOL, to most of the replys, you can send them my way if they are in Kent!!:ciappa:

And you can send them our way if they are in in Surrey/Berkshire/Hampshire/West Sussex lol

 

[desrob]

the ones i have fitted ,not bad.

 

[Ruski]

the ones i have fitted ,not bad.

Hoorah - a positive comment!
Can I ask you, Desrob, why you think they are 'not bad' ??

This far, to the original question, I've had:

in a word..."no" - why 'no' ?the parts are expensive also - isn't that a plus for you guys - bigger 'sourcing' fee??

no doubt it will leak!! - what will leak in your experiance??

stay well away... absolutely rubbish! - again - why is it rubbish?

tat tat tat and tat - why??

the newer ones just look awful, once you get inside - what looks awful?

jus very poor quality.. plus, they're nightmare to work on when they're broke - can you give examples?? My guy says they're a doodle - most of the frequently changed bits are now easy access?


I dont want to be going down this road IF someone can give a genuine reason why not to - but so far it's just been opinions (probably of older versions) and nowt objective! If they're offering 8year guarantee why so much negativity?!?!?

Cheers guys & gals

Russ

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Hoorah - a positive comment!
Can I ask you, Desrob, why you think they are 'not bad' ??

This far, to the original question, I've had:

in a word..."no" - why 'no' ?the parts are expensive also - isn't that a plus for you guys - bigger 'sourcing' fee??

no doubt it will leak!! - what will leak in your experiance??

stay well away... absolutely rubbish! - again - why is it rubbish?

tat tat tat and tat - why??

the newer ones just look awful, once you get inside - what looks awful?

jus very poor quality.. plus, they're nightmare to work on when they're broke - can you give examples?? My guy says they're a doodle - most of the frequently changed bits are now easy access?


I dont want to be going down this road IF someone can give a genuine reason why not to - but so far it's just been opinions (probably of older versions) and nowt objective! If they're offering 8year guarantee why so much negativity?!?!?

Cheers guys & gals

Russ

try a week in my shoes matey,then we will see what your opinions are

 

[Ruski]

Gasman - Love to - but no need if someone'd just give a reasonable reason why they're 'tat' :cheesy:

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Gasman - Love to - but no need if someone'd just give a reasonable reason why they're 'tat' :cheesy:

to be honest with you ruski no one makes a decent boiler anymore just mediocre ones, BAXI nearly cracked it with the old 105 then killed it by making it a instant,the trouble with alphas are maintenance is not thought out very well and parts are very expensive compared to other brands now if you want a alpha ,like what you see in the boiler go for it,at the end of the day you have to live with it no one else, alliteratively if you work for alpha and are just defending the product as you have already noted not many like the brand oh and if you do work for them you should have a read re advertising its in the forum rules

 

[Ruski]

Cheers for a straightforward answer to a straightforward question Gasman - much appreciated!
Nope - don't work for Alpha - just trying to do a bit of research before I commit to a new system - like I said 'my' plumber is fitting these all the time and has offered to fit one for me, possible with a solar kit - so as you can imagine it's a big outlay for me and I want to be as sure as I can be that I ain't starting down a 'road to hell' as Mr Rea might say...

Thanks again for your adice, much appreciated.

Russ

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Cheers for a straightforward answer to a straightforward question Gasman - much appreciated!
Nope - don't work for Alpha - just trying to do a bit of research before I commit to a new system - like I said 'my' plumber is fitting these all the time and has offered to fit one for me, possible with a solar kit - so as you can imagine it's a big outlay for me and I want to be as sure as I can be that I ain't starting down a 'road to hell' as Mr Rea might say...

Thanks again for your adice, much appreciated.

Russ

if your plumber likes them does he also do maintenance?he could be your best port of call if you have issues in the future there is also a very experienced guy on here called alpha man if he is near you then he would be a good contact

 

[Ruski]

if your plumber likes them does he also do maintenance?he could be your best port of call if you have issues in the future there is also a very experienced guy on here called alpha man if he is near you then he would be a good contact

I presume he does the maintenance/servicing - I know he's installed the whole kit-n-kaboodle in his own home, so he's either got it all for free or he's got a certain amount of confidence in the product!

I'll have a chat with him on the next job I'm lining up for him and try to push him on what failures he's had with them....

Also hoping that Alpha Man might give me some pointers too...

Thanks again for taking the time

Russ

 

[RoryD]

should all be scrapped as a waste of metal

 

[desrob]

Hoorah - a positive comment!
Can I ask you, Desrob, why you think they are 'not bad' ??

This far, to the original question, I've had:

in a word..."no" - why 'no' ?the parts are expensive also - isn't that a plus for you guys - bigger 'sourcing' fee??

no doubt it will leak!! - what will leak in your experiance??

stay well away... absolutely rubbish! - again - why is it rubbish?

tat tat tat and tat - why??

the newer ones just look awful, once you get inside - what looks awful?

jus very poor quality.. plus, they're nightmare to work on when they're broke - can you give examples?? My guy says they're a doodle - most of the frequently changed bits are now easy access?


I dont want to be going down this road IF someone can give a genuine reason why not to - but so far it's just been opinions (probably of older versions) and nowt objective! If they're offering 8year guarantee why so much negativity?!?!?

Cheers guys & gals

Russ

being honest the one's i have fitted .i have had limited problems nothing out of the ordinary,spares are expensive, easy to fir ,some parts are awkward to get at,fair price with a good warrenty, i think gas man gives a honest reflection on the state of todays boilers and would agree,i am quite surprised at the amount of negative comments alpha boilers have attracted,in my opinion they are no better or no worse.